Tragic crackship time!! I have been infected with the frosty hiccups
I was reading Ch.12 ‘Of the Northmost Winds and Skies’ and couldn’t stop imagining the scene where Jack spars with Hiccup
“The rest of the gang were all watching, with various looks of astonishment on their faces. Jamie was grinning, Astrid looked almost angry in the way she did when she was surprised, and the twins seemed strangely pale. Even Toothless looked taken aback.”
Specifically the twins, considering their last encounter with Jack LOL
Hi I've been exhausted lately but I finally finished some Middle-Earth cane designs for Disability Pride Month and they make me very happy.
Click for better quality, zoom in please I spent way too long on these.
I'm a cane user, and most fictional or antique canes really annoy me, because they're rarely actually usable or practical. So this is my attempt to design usable but still interesting canes for characters I have somewhat arbitrarily projected disability onto. For example, they all have padded handles and most have wrist straps.
Individual design ramblings below!
Nerdanel has some type of genetic chronic illness, I haven't decided exactly what yet. Her cane has metalwork decoration, and a locking hinge mechanism to allow it to fold, because one of my canes is folding and it's super useful. Those parts were made by Mahtan. The Fëanorian star carving and crystal section were later modifications, and I think Nerdanel would continue modifying it throughout her life.
I've drawn Idril with prosthetic legs post-Helcaraxë, and some people with prosthetics use canes or other mobility aids for extra balance. I also headcanon that her silver legs were made by Celebrimbor once he ended up in Gondolin, so before that she may have had lower quality prosthetics and relied more on a cane. Hers has an eagle carved into it (Thorondor maybe), as well as eagle feathers, ribbons, and her heraldry for decoration. Elenwë's name is also carved closer to the base as a memorial (hopefully I did the tengwar right).
Celebrían uses a cane in Valinor due to her injuries. Hers is mallorn wood with metal decorations. Specifically the snake and flowers reference the House of Finarfin. The snake is made of mithril, which i think would be popular for mobility aid details due to its light weight. Also, she got Celebrimbor to help her make it after she dragged him out of Mandos.
Elros' is the only one without a wrist strap because I unfortunately couldn't work it into the design well. He uses it due to a leg injury from the War of Wrath, mostly because I wanted Elrond to encourage him about it in a fic I never finished. The handle is a carved and painted seagull, the column shows fish, and the base has Eärendil's star.
Caranthir inherited Nerdanel's condition, the only one of the sons who did. He didn't start using a cane until they were in Beleriand, so his is a from-memory recreation of Nerdanel's, made with Curufin's help. It also has metalwork details and a hinge. The textile wraps were his own addition, and the claw and beads were gifts from Haleth.
Faramir was born disabled with chronic health issues (again haven't decided exactly what yet), but this wasn't publicly acknowledged by Denethor as it didn't "fit the image". He had very little access to mobility aids growing up because of this. Injuries from the War of the Ring certainly didn't help, and he started using a cane after that. His was given to him by Éowyn, and was made in Rohan, hence the horse. The blue fabric band with stars is a reference to the cloak he gave her, and the lower band was made using remnants of Boromir's horn as a way for Faramir to carry his brother with him.
Grace sees his house just after it was built on Erid for the first time, and the only Eridian he has seen so far is Rocky for various reasons. He examines the interior, taking in everything with awe until he gets to a large door looking thing in the back. It goes from the floor to the ceiling, and is quite wide.
“Rocky, what’s this for?”
“Is for Adrian!”
“Adrian…?”
The door slides open and standing Infront of Grace is a massive (relative to Rocky) blue green spiky Eridian.
“Hello Grace.”
The pitch is so low he can barely hear it. Goddamn Rocky bagged a baddie.
Grace: Do you think you can add spice to the MeBurgers? I’m a hot sauce kinda guy.
Rocky: What is spice question?
Grace: It’s when humans eat something that burns our mouths because it evolves to be painful to stop animals from eating it, but we like the flavor of pain.
Rocky: ……….there is something wrong with your entire species statement.
I don't know who needs to hear this, but do not ever, ever, ever let someone guilt you into not transitioning. "But you're so pretty! You'll ruin your lovely body!" "But you're my [son/daughter/boyfriend/girlfriend/mom/dad/etc.]; I can't see you any other way!" "But we need more [badass butch lesbians/women in STEM/etc.] to show women that they can do anything!" "But we need good men like you to promote healthy masculinity!" <- None of these are reasons not to transition. Transition is for you, not for others. Other peoples' indignation or sadness over your transition is not your burden to bear, and other peoples' expectations for you are not moral obligations you must fulfill. Do not live to fit inside a prescribed role in somebody else's life. You must live for yourself. Please transition.
